Shot Count Analysis

Track: 무제 (Untitled, 2014)

Artist: G- Dragon (Kwon Jiyong)

Director: Han Sa Min

Release Date: 8th June 2017

Length of video: 3:48

Number of shots: 1

Average length of shot: 3:48

Kwon Jiyong's music video for 'Untitled 2014' was shot entirely in a single hour which makes it all the more impressive when considering that the entire music video is one long take of him stumbling throughout beautiful scenery which the director intended to change behind him. Originally, Han Sa Min had produced sets ready for a two to three day shooting, and the music video was to be consisting of the "best cuts" while the scenery changed behind Kwon (as in the final music video, just with separate shots and cuts throughout), however, the director's and Kwon's opinion had changed while on set.

Due to the nature of this music video, I have decided to not include the 30 second shot by shot analysis, therefore, I will analyse 30 seconds of the video from the first chorus.

This sequence seems to transition through colours and landscapes- the set changing rather than the shot which leaves a certain type of emotional effect on the audience. A reason for which such colour transitions may have occurred is due to the emotional weight of the lyrics. 

This track was a very personal creation of Kwon Jiyong's and thus, it is appropriate to portray his emotions in a music video which progresses as the lyrics do. 

An example is the following four frames throughout which the blue colour completely desaturates to black and white. The frames occupy the first half of the chorus section of the song: 

"제발단 한 번이라도

너를 볼 수 있다면
내 모든 걸 다 잃어도 괜찮아" 

"(Please, just once, if I can see you, I am okay with losing everything I have)"

The frames are completely faded from the blue colour to black and white, while the background is also removed, possibly in reflection of the line "losing everything I have". Kwon is the only person who is seen in this music video, he does not hold props, nor does he seem to be in the position of possessing items other than his clothes and perhaps the backdrop, which disappears. 

The portrayal of the loss of everything seems rather innocent and very subtle, however, the emotional power is greater- Often the loss of material items seem far more drastic than the loss of perhaps one's emotional well-being. The sky, which he does not truly own, but can look upon, is still lost, thus the audience has the ability to listen to the lyrics with deeper meaning and understanding if they appreciate the music video. 

On the left, you may see that the shot begins to retrieve colour, in softer, redder tone, than what the blue was. The tone appears to be a variation of blue and red which creates a 'dreamy' feeling, reflective of the following lyrics:

"꿈에서라도 너를 만나
다시 사랑하기를"

"(I'll meet you, even if it's in a dream

And we can love again, just as we are)"

While Kwon Jiyong moves aimlessly through the scenery, the camera 'floats' backwards in a smooth motion, which seems to soften the physical appearance of the video.

Smoke is also used to create the illusion of clouds around Kwon's face to add to the verisimilitude of a dream-like state.

The following frames contain a backdrop which transitions to another colour (blue) while Kwon remains roughly the same hue of red. Perhaps the most interesting part about the composition of these frames is the small glare which is over Kwon's body. The straight line seems precisely placed and is more apparent in the last screenshot.

Throughout the music video, certain glares in the lens appear, perhaps a mistake of changing the difficult lighting during the long take, but very much fitting nonetheless.